Between a Rock and a Hard Place
by Nocturne in C Moll
Summary: After Tejada marks Beth, Josh is torn between protecting her and protecting the community. A one-shot.


**Author's Note**: A little something that came to me last night while rewatching _Love Lasts Forever _and wouldn't leave me alone… (Don't worry, still working on updates for my other stories!)

It has not been looked at by a beta, so it's really rough, but I just had to get it out of my system. Any mistakes, inconsistencies, awkward transitions, ridiculous plot holes, etc., are mine. Comments & constructive criticism are encouraged.**  
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**Disclaimer**: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.  
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* * *

**Between a Rock and a Hard Place (**or,** The ADA Gets Tough on Crime)**

Josh stepped out of the elevator and slowly down the hall. The pounding of his heart echoed louder in his ears than his own footsteps. Outside the door, he raised a fist to knock, but just as quickly dropped it. He was halfway back to the elevator when he stopped, took a deep breath, and turned back. A moment later he was facing the door again. Another deep breath, and he knocked. He started when the door opened only seconds later.

The man he wanted to see was shirtless and leaning up against the doorframe. "Josh."

"Mick. I'm sorry for coming by so late, but—did I wake you?"

"No. I was working out. I'm kind of a night person." He looked him up and down. "Is Beth all right?"

"Yeah. She's fine—I mean, she's sleeping."

Mick flared his nostrils and frowned slightly.

Josh shrugged. "Look, can I come in? I need to talk to you—it's important. And it involves Beth."

Mick stepped back to allow Josh past the threshold and shut the door behind him after taking a quick look out into the hall. The two men stood eyeing each other for a moment before Mick finally said, "Hey, you want a drink?"

"No—thanks," Josh shook his head. "In the morning I want to know that I did this completely sober."

His host raised an eyebrow. "Well…you sure know how to raise my curiosity."

"Yeah. I'm having a problem with a case that I wanted to run by someone…someone outside of the law enforcement community."

"Let's go into my office." Mick grabbed a shirt lying on the couch and pulled it over his head as he led the way down the hall. He indicated a chair, and Josh took it. "Go ahead," Mick said after he'd seated himself behind the desk.

Josh took a deep breath. "For the past three years I've been building a case against a man named Chemma Tejada."

"I've heard the name." Mick cocked his head. "…But I'm guessing the problem isn't that he failed to get a stain out of one of your shirts."

"No." Josh pursed his lips wryly. "His real business is money laundering and drug trafficking. He's a member of the HEM brotherhood, one of the most dangerous and ruthless gangs in the world. In an attempt to avoid prosecution, he's killed three DEA agents, mutilated a prosecutor's wife, and probably a bunch of other people I don't even know about who've crossed him."

"Not to mention the people he's killed with his drugs."

"Exactly. And now," Josh pulled a photo out of his jacket pocket and dropped it on the desk, "he's marked Beth."

Mick stared down at the picture.

Josh threw his hands up. "I don't know what to do—I can't put Beth at risk…but if I recuse myself, the entire community is still at risk."

"So you want me to protect Beth while you take Tejada to trial?" Mick raised his eyes to Josh.

"You did great with Leni Hayes…but Tejada's just as dangerous as Fayed, if not more so. I'm no longer sure this will even make it to trial." Josh returned Mick's gaze evenly. "And I'm no longer sure I want it to."

The PI's eyebrows rose.

Josh's eyes widened. "You know what—I'm sorry. I can't believe I was going to ask you—that I even thought—" He rose from his seat. "I shouldn't be here."

Mick leaned back in his chair and played with a pencil lying on the desk. "Look, Josh, I'm not here to judge you. I'm probably one of the last people who could cast the first stone. But I promise you that whatever you say here remains confidential—no matter what."

After a moment, Josh sat down again and ran both hands through his hair. "Well, we'll see if you say that in a minute, when you'll likely be well within your rights to deck me."

"That I _will_ be the judge of."

Josh took a deep breath. "Lee Jay Spalding…"

Mick's eyes narrowed. "What's your point?"

"Your dad got…physical…with him back in the day."

"A little. Probably not enough."

"Yeah…I was kinda wondering if that ran in the family."

Mick's lips twitched slightly. "Who's asking?"

A furrow appeared in Josh's brow. "What do you mean?"

Mick leaned forward suddenly and said in a low voice, "The deputy district attorney is in my office, suggesting he might want me to 'get physical' with someone—something he's suggesting I may have done before." He cocked his head and stared intently at Josh. "—You've had me frisked once, maybe were a little disappointed when you didn't find anything. How do I know this isn't some entrapment scheme?"

Josh sighed. "You don't—other than you have my word." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Look, as you pointed out, I'm the deputy district attorney, asking a guy to rough up a dangerous criminal I'm having problems convicting. I'm taking a risk in coming to you, too—for all I know, you record your client interviews."

"I do, sometimes—not tonight."

"And I didn't mean to imply that I thought you did this all the time—I don't know what I thought. I guess you just always seemed to be on top of things… You saved Beth a few times, Julia, Leni. …I guess somehow I just thought that if it came down to it—if it was necessary—that you would do anything…to protect people. Like Beth."

Mick stared at him until Josh's buttocks started to perspire. Then he looked away and nodded once. "Okay."

Josh breathed in relief. "Does that mean you'll do it?"

"It means I'll listen. What's your plan? You do have a plan, don't you?"

"Hah…I guess I hadn't really thought that far ahead yet."

"You want me to give Tejada a taste of his own medicine—let him know you can't be bullied?"

"Yeah…I guess."

"You really think that'll work?"

"No." Josh blew out a breath. "He'd just retaliate, and from there it would only escalate. It'd be a bloodbath."

"Well, then I think you know how it should be handled. Is that really what you want?"

Josh shook his head. "I see no other options."

"Sometimes there are no other options. Tejada's a predator who must be dealt with. So far, the justice system hasn't been adequate."

Josh looked down. "I know. That's the only reason I'm here."

"And it's the only reason I'm listening."

Josh rubbed his palms over his eyes. "He'll be hard to get alone. He always has a few 'brothers' nearby."

"I'm not too worried about that."

"How…how are you going to do it?"

Mick's eyes bored into his. "Do you really want to know?"

"No…I guess not. You'll have to make sure there's no trace of you found at the scene, or on…Tejada."

"It'll be better for all involved if he's never found. I can make it happen."

"…Fair enough."

Mick tilted his head. "Are you disappointed? Did you want his head brought to you in a box?"

Josh shuddered. "You would—"

"It was a joke. You looked tense."

"Oh." Josh rubbed at his shoulder and looked at Mick suddenly. "You _have_ done this before?"

"Is this the deputy district attorney talking now?"

Josh snorted. "No. I don't need to know whether you've done it before—probably best if I don't. I guess I'm just wanting to make sure it gets done right. Neither of us can afford any screw-ups."

Mick wrinkled his nose. "Kind of like my father and Lee Jay."

"Yeah. I guess." Josh frowned.

"I don't want you to think I do this every day—because I don't—but I can handle it."

Josh nodded slowly. "I said to Beth once that you seemed like you could get the jump on just about anyone."

The corners of Mick's mouth upturned slightly, but he said nothing.

"Speaking of Beth…" Josh sighed. "She can never know about this. Neither can anyone else, for that matter." He scoffed lightly. "Obviously."

Mick nodded. "I can keep a secret."

Josh stared at him. "Yeah, I kind of got the impression that you could." He shifted slightly in his seat. "As for payment—we'll have to work something out...so it can't be traced…"

"No payment," Mick shook his head. "It's not necessary. Call it community service."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then. Thanks…I guess." Josh smiled grimly and made a loose gesture with his hand. "I don't know if this makes it weirder, or what."

Mick snorted and shrugged his eyebrows. "Yeah, I don't know. It's definitely not a conversation I ever expected to be having with you."

"You're telling me." They stared at each other a moment before Josh spoke again. "So…when?"

"Tonight—right now. If Tejada's as ruthless as you say he is, he's probably already planning something."

Josh blinked. "Are you…ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." He rose suddenly. "You should go home."

"Yeah. I need to get back to Beth."

The PI's jaw tensed slightly.

Josh stood and extended his hand. "Mick—I don't even know what to say."

"Don't mention it." He returned the handshake and then, to Josh's surprise, grabbed his jacket and opened the door. "I'm going to walk out with you," he said when he caught the questioning look in Josh's eye. "…I have everything I need."

They rode down in the elevator together in silence and parted ways on the street.

"So I won't contact you after I've greeted our mutual friend. It's safer that way—nothing to explain."

Josh stared at the sidewalk.

Mick continued, "Beth is supposed to meet me at BioNalysis tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll give her a call just to confirm the time," he paused and, when Josh looked up, added with an edge to his voice, "maybe I'll say _hi_."

"Hey—Mick," Josh called after him when he started to walk away. "Be careful. I wouldn't want to see you get hurt."

Mick smiled slightly over his shoulder. "You won't."

When Josh glanced back a second later, Mick was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Beth was still asleep when Josh climbed back into bed.

As he held her in his arms again he shut his eyes tight, knowing that sleep would not likely come for a long time.

He wondered if it would for Mick.

* * *

When his eyes opened again the next morning, Josh heard Beth's voice in the other room and bolted upright and out of bed. He threw on a pair of pants and grimaced as he did the zipper up too fast, catching some skin.

He forced himself to walk down the hall at a more normal pace. Beth was eating breakfast in front of the computer when he entered the living area. "Good morning," he bent over and kissed her cheek on his way to the fridge.

"'Morning, honey!" she smiled brightly and turned back to the computer.

He opened the fridge and hid behind the door as he poked around for the orange juice. "Were you just talking to someone?" He swallowed dryly and felt his stomach clench as he waited for her answer.

"Yeah, that was Mick on the phone. I'm meeting him at BioNalysis in an hour." She took another bite of toast and continued tapping at the keyboard.

When she said nothing else, Josh was overcome by intense nausea. He let the fridge door fall closed on its own and turned to grasp the counter in an attempt to stay standing.

"Mm," Beth held up a finger as she finished her mouthful. "—He says 'hi,' by the way."

* * *

Beth frowned at the computer monitor as Buzzwire's report on Tejada's disappearance ended. She looked over her shoulder at Josh, who was cutting up vegetables on the counter. "I would have thought you'd be more upset about Tejada's run from the law. All those years of work, there's no trial—and Tejada is still free somewhere to commit more crimes."

Josh shook his head and reached for his glass. "He won't be back."

He felt Beth eying him as he took a large sip of red wine. "I don't even want to know," she said before turning back to the computer.


End file.
